Here are the fantasy football MVPs who led teams to the playoffs
Yahoo Fantasy Football has a fun stat on commissioner pages called “MVPs.” That tab counts how often players show up on the Top 500 Yahoo public teams. It’s merely a count, and not even a metric. It’s imperfect. But it’s an interesting measure of who’s moved the needle, and it’s worthy of a look as we get you ready for the fantasy semifinals.
Meet the Yahoo MVPs:
RB Josh Jacobs, Raiders (62.2 percent rostered on top-500 teams)
The overall RB1, drafted in the seventh or eighth round — is that something you might be interested in? Jacobs leads the league in rushing and is also having his best receiving year, though he’s yet to catch a touchdown pass as a pro.
This was one pick I whiffed on. Maybe I worried too much about the Raiders not picking up Jacobs’ option, or a presumably bad offensive line, or the ordinary receiving chops. Jacobs only had two catches through two weeks, and didn’t have a touchdown when October started.
Since then, he’s been a laser show.
He turns a mere 25 in February. More good times are ahead, but the ADP is going to rise next year.
TE Travis Kelce, Chiefs (41.2%)
Kelce is so good, he starts up arguments about whether or not we should nix the tight end position completely (I’m keeping it). That’s how much he dominates, and how weak the rest of the pool is.
Kelce’s the No. 1 tight end, with about 100 points over No. 2 TE, Mark Andrews. The delta between Kelce and Andrews is the same as the gap between Andrews and Josh Oliver (TE47, currently zero percent rostered in Yahoo).
It’s difficult to find other tight ends who go down as winning picks. Evan Engram and T.J. Hockenson have been better lately, but didn’t start so hot. Andrews and Kittle have dealt with injures. Kyle Pitts was torpedoed by his supporting cast. Darren Waller missed most of the season.
Kelce’s an interesting draft case next year. He enters his age-34 season, worrisome territory, but consider his last seven seasons: TE1, TE2, TE1, TE1, TE1, TE2, TE1. When’s the last time anyone drafted Kelce and regretted it?
But still, the circus leaves town for everyone, eventually.
WR Tyreek Hill, Dolphins (41.2%)
I was concerned about Hill outside of the Andy Reid/Patrick Mahomes womb, which is a lovely take. I should print it out 100 times and plaster it on my wall. No one thinks Tua Tagovailoa is in the Mahomes class, but it doesn’t matter with Hill. The Cheetah is a cheat code, headed for career bests in catches and yards. And he’s done it with moderate touchdown luck.
RB Tony Pollard, Cowboys (37.4%)
Pollard has maintained strong stand-alone value even with Ezekiel Elliott staying on the field. The Cowboys also found a way to overcome two major injuries — Tyron Smith was hurt before the year, Dak Prescott early in the year. Pollard is the electric understudy in Dallas, but he’s had at least 13 touches in nine straight games.
WR Justin Jefferson, Vikings (31.0%)
Although Kirk Cousins is having a disappointing season in most metrics, it’s not the fault of the un-coverable Jefferson, who leads the league in catches and yards. He’s also pointing at a possible 200-target season. It’s lovely when teams prioritize their best players.
QB Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs (30.2%)
While Kelce is an undeniable god, Mahomes is also working with an ordinary receiver group. His best running back is a 30-year-old retread. I don’t know who the second-best player is in the NFL, but Mahomes is the unquestioned king.
QB Jalen Hurts, Eagles (30.0%)
This one stings for me, because I had the Eagles going to the Super Bowl in the summer but somehow wound up underweight on everyone in this offense other than Dallas Goedert. Hurts has maintained an elite rushing role while stepping up his passing game — the acquisition of A.J. Brown was heaven-sent. Hurts managers probably need a replacement in the next week or two, but he’s a big reason you got this far.
RB Miles Sanders, Eagles (29.8%)
Score one for positive touchdown regression. It kills me that I don’t have all the Eagles.
WR A.J. Brown, Eagles (29.0%)
It’s like the universe is playing a cruel joke on me. Brown was always an efficiency god in Tennessee, but we wondered what he could do in an offense that would pepper him with targets off the bus. The Eagles were happy to provide an answer.
WR Tyler Lockett, Seahawks (24.0%)
He’s hurt now, but Lockett’s combo of floor and upside was lovely for three months. If you understood Geno Smith would be just fine with Seattle, you likely scored a juicy discount on Lockett, DK Metcalf, or both.
WR Davante Adams, Raiders (23.4%)
I still weep for the Aaron Rodgers-to-Adams poetry that no longer plays, but Adams has maintained a dominant role with the Raiders. Derek Carr is good enough. Adams hits his age-31 season next year, which mildly concerns me.
WR Garrett Wilson, Jets (21.8%)
The Jets have played three quarterbacks, with Mike White the best of the lot. None of them have been able to sink the amazing Wilson.
RB Jamaal Williams, Lions (21.6%)
Find someone who loves you the way the Lions love Williams. The key to this backfield was to appreciate the overall offense and the line up front, but to also recognize the market overrated D’Andre Swift. Williams also lives large at the goal, where he’s the auto-punch inside the 5-yard line.
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions (21.4%)
Jared Goff is a lot like Derek Carr, not great but good enough. And The Sun God is always open.
QB Justin Fields, Bears (21.2%)
Long live the Konami Code. Fields doesn’t have good receivers or much of an offensive line, but it hasn’t mattered much. He’s probably the most electrifying runner in the game today.
